Molded plastic segmented trunk and branch holder means for simulated christmas trees



Apnl 28, 1964 A. ABRAMSON 3,131,112

MOLDED PLASTIC SEGMENTEZD TRUNK AND BRANCH HOLDER MEANS FOR SIMULATED CHRISTMAS TREES Filed Feb. 20, 1961 INV EN TOR. 5 41M flepmu MfiLDED PLASTIC SEGMENTED TRUNK AND This invention relates to ornamental and decorative devices and more particularly is directed to artificial simulated Christmas tree constructions.

Among the objects of the invention is to improve artificial simulated Christmas tree constructions of the character described which shall be particularly adaptable for packaging and shipping in a knock-down condition yet requiring a minimum or" skill and time for assembly into an attractive ornamental tree, which tree shall comprise an assembly of inter'fitti-ng trunk segments which can be manufactured by quantity production methods in a variety of colors from plastic resinous material to be relatively light in weight yet rugged in construction to withstand breakage in periodic assembly and dismantling, which shall permit duplication of identical segments along the vertical height of the tree to provide a wide range of desired heights without the requirements of additional segments of different shapes and sizes, which trunk segments shall comprise identical tubular members and collars having radially extending sockets for receiving branches of a variety of conventional constructions, which collars shall be readily adaptable to injection moldi-ng techniques at production cost, and which shall be efiicient and practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of con 'struction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter disclosed, the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims following.

'In the accompanying drawing in which an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partly in phantom of a Christmas tree constructed to embody the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the branch holder collar removed from the assembly.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded view in vertical section of the segmented trunk of the Christmas tree shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with the parts shown in assembly, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the collar shown in FIG. 2 showing details of construction of a branch holder.

This invention is a continuation-impart of subject matter covered in my copending application Serial No. 90,455, filed February 20, 1961 entitled Knock-Down Simulated Christmas Tree Constructions Having Adjustable and Collapsible Branches, filed herewith, and application Serial No. 78,938, riled December 28, 1960, for Decorative Simulated Christmas Tree Constructions.

Referring in detail to the drawings, denotes an artificial Christmas tree constructed to embody the invention comprising a base 10a supporting a vertical trunk 18b having branches 11 extending therefrom in a radial and upward direction.

Branches 11 may be of any conventional construction but each, as shown in FIG. 4, formed generally with a leafless medial or trunk attaching end "11a which may United States Patent "ice be an extension of an axial core 11b carrying simulated leaves 110.

Trunk 10b is preferably formed as a segmented structure, each segment, as is clear from FIG. 3, comprising a tubular body 12 and a branch holder collar 13 having a plurality of integrally form-ed radial-1y extending branch holders 14. Tubular body 12 may have an upper end section 12a of smaller cross-sectional area in relation to a lower section 12b of larger cross-sectional area and a shoulder 12c therebetween. All bodies 12 may be identical with upper end section 12a of each body forming an inner sleeve member and lower end section 12b forming an outer sleeve member of a telescoping interfittiug connection between adjoining segments. Interposed between shoulder 12c and the free bottom end 12d of an adjoining segment, collar 13 is sized to fit around upper section 12a and seat on shoulder 12c.

Tubular bodies 12 and branch holder collars 13 may each be molded as unitary structures of suitable resinous plastic material, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or the like. Branch holder collars 13 may be constructed for the intended purpose of providing seating means for removably attaching branches 11 in a desired predetermined angular relation to trunk 10b and for ease in low cost quantity production by injection molding methods. To this end, branch holder collar 13 has a wall structure of relatively uniform thickness including a collar or annular ring portion of L-shaped crossscotion providing a centrally extending horizontal flange .may comprise a pair of substantially parallel spaced apart vertical side walls 14:: extending radially and up- Wardly from collar vertical flange 13b, side walls 14a being interconnected along the length thereof by a plurality of transverse wall portions 14b, 14c, 14d and 14a staggered with respect to each other and alternately positioned on the bottom and top edges of side walls 14a, the space therebetween forming a seat for removably receiving attaching branch end 11a. Described in greater detail and for facilitating injection molding of branch holder collars 13 as a unit, wall portion 14b is located adjacent free end 14 of holder 14 and extends across the bottom edges of side walls 14a. Wall portion extends across the top edges of side walls 14a spaced from free end 14 in offset relation to wall portion 14b. Wall portion 14d extends across the bottom edges of side walls 14a spaced from wall portion 14b in offset relation to wall portion 140 and medialmost wall portion 142 extends across the top edges of side walls 14a integral with vertical flange-s 13b and spaced from Wall portion 14c in offset relation to wall portion 14d, wall portion 142 also having opposite lateral extensions beyond side walls 14a serving as strengthening webs or ribs defined by converging opposite edges 14g. The inrterior surfaces of transverse wall portions 14b, 14c, 14d and 14e may be shaped to conform to the contour of attaching branch end 11a, as for example,'as be seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, said interior surfaces having a semi-circular concave contour.

The utility and operation of the invention will now be apparent. Christmas tree 10 may be packed for shipping in a carton in knockdown condition, that is preferably with tubular bodies 12 branches 11 and branch 3 holder collars 13 separated from each other to save space and prevent breakage.

Assembly of Christmas tree is readily accomplished by first interconnecting base 10a with several tubular bodies 12 to form a lower branchless trunk section in the manner fully shown and described in my said copending application. At a desired level above base 10a the first branch holder collar 13 is positioned on upper end 12a to rest on shoulder 120. At fl1is point branches 11 may be mounted by inserting branch ends 11a into the seats in branch holders 14 defined by side walls 14a and transverse wall portions 14b, 14c, 14d and 142. After all the branches are mounted on the lowermost collar or segment the next segment is added until tree 10 is erected to a desired or predetermined height and thereafter topped with a suitable ornament or finial (not shown).

After assembly in the above described manner, tree 10 may be shaped by rotating the various branch holder collars 13 with respect to each other to either vertically align or stagger branches 11. If an upwardly tapering tree is required branches 11 may be provided in a range of diiferent lengths for mounting in shorter length upward progression in the well understood manner.

When ready for storage Christmas tree 10 is readily disassembled by removing branches 11 from holders 14 and separating tubular bodies 12 and collars 13.

It is thus seen that there is provided a molded plastic segmented trunk and branch holder means for simulated Christmas trees in which the several objects of the invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an artificial Christmas tree construction of the character described, a segmented trunk portion comprising substantially identical molded tubular members having a lower section of larger cross-sectional area relative to an upper section of smaller cross-sectional area and a should formed between said upper and lower sections, the smaller section of one member being sized to telescopingly engage the larger section of an adjoining member, a collar seated on said shoulder between adjoining members, said collar having integrally formed radially and upwardly extending branch holders for releasably mounting the ends of branches.

2. In an artificial Christmas tree construction of the character described, a segmented trunk portion comprising substantially identical molded tubular members having a lower section of larger cross-sectional area relative to an upper section of smaller cross-sectional area and a should formed between said upper and lower sections, a collar having a smaller bore corresponding to said smaller cross-sectional area adjacent a bottom side thereof for seating the collar on said shoulder and a larger cross-sectional area adjacent an upper side thereof corresponding to said larger cross-sectional area for receiving the larger section of an adjacent tubular member in telescoping relation, said collar having integrally formed radially and upwardly extending branch holders for re leasably mounting the ends of artificial branches.

3. In an artificial Christmas tree construction, a branch mounting collar of molded plastic resinous material having a relatively uniform wall structure, said collar comprising an annular portion of L-shaped cross-section providing a centrally extending horizontal flange and a vertical flange extending from the outer edge of said horizontal flange, a plurality of branch holders extending radially and upwardly from said vertical flange, each branch holder including a pair of spaced vertical side walls interconnected along the length thereof by a plurality of transverse wall portions staggered with respect to each other and alternately positioned on the bottom and top edges of said side walls, a central space formed by said side walls and transverse wall portions forming a seat for removable branches.

4. In an artificial Christmas tree construction, a segmented trunk portion comprising molded tubular members each having a lower section of larger cross-sectional area relative to an upper section of smaller cross-sectional area and a shoulder formed between said upper and lower sections, the smaller section of one member being sized to telescopingly engage the larger section of an adjoining member, collars seated on said shoulders between adjoining members, each collar having integrally formed radially and upwardly extending branch holders, branches having axial core trunk attachment extensions, said branch holders having seats for removably receiving said branch attachment extensions, said collars being rotatable with respect to each other to trim the tree.

5. The artificial Christmas tree construction defined in claim 1 in which said branch holders include a pair of spaced vertical side walls extending from the collar, said side walls being interconnected along the length thereof by a plurality of transverse wall portions offset with respect to each other and alternately positioned on the bottom and top edges of said side walls, the space between said side walls and transverse wall portions forming a seat for said releasable mounting of the branches.

6. The artificial Christmas tree construction defined in claim 1 in which said branch holders include a pair of spaced vertical side walls extending from the collar, said side walls being interconnected along the length thereof by a plurality of transverse wall portions offset with respect to each other and alternately positioned on the bottom and top edges of said side walls, the space between said side walls and transverse wall portions forming a seat for said releasable mounting of the branches, one of said transverse wall portions being integral with said collar and extending beyond said side walls as strengthening ribs defined by converging opposite edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 891,301 Spreen June 23, 1908 1,555,621 Barker Sept. 29, 1925 1,694,974 Glover Dec. 11, 1928 2,186,351 Stojaneck Jan. 9, 1940 2,826,845 Warren Mar. 18, 1958 2,826,846 Warren Mar. 18, 1958 2,984,036 Adler May 16, 1961 3,007,282 Galesky Nov. 7, 1961 3,084,465 Hellrich Apr. 9, 1963 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,131,112 111014128", 1964 Abraham Abramson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numberedypatent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, lines 464 and 58, for "should"; each occurrence, read shoulder Signed and sealed this 11th day of August 1964.

(SEAL).- Attest:

ERNEST SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents At testing Officer 

1. IN AN ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A SEGMENTED TRUNK PORTION COMPRISING SUBSTANTIALLY INDENTICAL MOLDED TUBULAR MEMBERS HAVING A LOWER SECTION OF LARGER CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA RELATIVE TO AN UPPER SECTION OF SMALLER CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AND A SHOULD FORMED BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS, THE SMALLER SECTION OF ONE MEMBER BEING SIZED TO TELESCOPINGLY ENGAGE THE LARGER SECTION OF AN ADJOINING MEMBER, A COLLAR SEATED ON SAID SHOULDER BETWEEN ADJOINING MEMBERS, SADI COLLAR HAVING INTEGRALLY FORMED RADIALLY AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING BRANCH HOLDERS FOR RELEASABLY MOUNTING THE ENDS OF BRANCHES. 